Choose the tool you will use after a losing session
A tracking method works when the record is complete. The best fit is the one that makes it easy to capture buy-ins, top-ups, cash-outs and time every session, including the evenings you would rather forget.
An app can reduce repeated entry and keep related records together. A spreadsheet can offer more freedom to define columns, formulas and reports. Neither automatically makes the inputs accurate or the interpretation sound.
Compare the practical trade-offs
| Need | Dedicated app | Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|
| Quick entry at the table | Structured session controls | Depends on the sheet and phone layout |
| Custom calculations | Limited to supported features and exports | You define formulas and columns |
| Consistency | Guided fields can reduce omissions | You maintain validation and conventions |
| Offline use | Depends on the app | Depends on the spreadsheet software |
| Backups and portability | Check backup and export options | Check file format, storage and formula portability |
| Privacy | Check data storage and account requirements | Check cloud sharing, sync and file access |
These are categories to inspect, not claims about every product. A cloud-synced sheet and a local sheet have different privacy and recovery trade-offs; the same is true of different apps.
Start a spreadsheet with a small, explicit model
A basic cash-session sheet can use date, game, stakes, currency, start time, end time, total buy-ins, cash-out, result and notes. The result formula is cash-out minus total buy-ins. Keep deposits, withdrawals and transfers in a separate transaction sheet.
For a row with 500 in total buy-ins and 650 cashed out, the result is +150. If you track individual contributions elsewhere, make sure the total references all of them. Protect formula columns from accidental editing, and test a winning, losing and break-even example before relying on the sheet.
For tournaments, define how fees, re-entries and add-ons feed the cost total. For currencies, retain original amounts and the conversion rule. A blank cell should not silently mean both “zero payout” and “not entered yet.”
Use an app when the entry routine is the bottleneck
If spreadsheet entry feels awkward on a phone, a dedicated workflow may help. Bankroll Manager records live and online cash or tournament sessions, supports active sessions and contributions, and keeps finished sessions in History. Separate bankroll transactions help avoid treating deposits as winnings.
The current app is free, works offline and does not require an account. It offers an app lock, backup and restore, and CSV/JSON exports. Those features can simplify organization; they do not replace your responsibility to back up local records.
Check what happens when you change phones
Before committing to either method, ask how you would recover the record if the device disappeared today. For a spreadsheet, know where the file and any version history live. For an app, know how to create and restore a backup and what media it includes.
An export for analysis may not be equivalent to a complete restore backup. Keep original files and verify the procedure before deleting old data. The same principle applies to moving between tools: compare totals and a sample of sessions after transfer.
You can use both without double entry
A practical combination is an app for session capture and an export for occasional custom analysis. Keep one record as the authority. If you edit the exported sheet, do not assume those changes flow back into the app.
Check the export's currencies and transaction types before combining totals. An impressive custom chart can still be wrong if it adds deposits to session profit or mixes original currencies without conversion.
Make the decision with one realistic test
Try recording a session with a first buy-in, a top-up and a final cash-out. Then record a loss, a bankroll deposit and a transfer. Review whether you can explain every resulting balance, and create a backup.
If the spreadsheet gives you the flexibility you need and you maintain it consistently, keep it. If entry friction causes missing records, a simpler app routine is worth trying. Choose completeness and clarity over the number of fields or charts.